A New York dad is sentenced to 25 years in prison after the murder of his 17-day-old newborn daughter. He carried out the murder by using a crossbow on her while also injuring his wife with the crossbow. The 28-year-old, Patrick D. Proefriedt, will be behind bars as he was found guilty of second-degree murder.
When the police responded to the call on June 26, 2023, Proefriedt was hiding in the woods after committing the crime. He was held in jail without bail and arrested from his home at State Route 41 in Colesville.
The man got into an argument with his wife and ended up firing a crossbow at her, injuring her, and killing the baby. Apparently, he was upset when the baby, Eleanor, was crying. After the murder of her daughter, he ran to the woods like a scared rat. To hide his crime, he hid his wife’s phone so she could not call the cops. Moreover, he removed the crossbow.
He hit the baby in the chest as the crossbow exited from the armpit. The weapon was found in the home, and the father was less than a mile away. The police and sheriff department used aerial drones and patrol units to locate the father.
Three-week-old baby shot with crossbow during domestic dispute. Father charged with murder. Patrick D Proefriedt allegedly removed the arrow and attempted to stop his wife from calling 911, then fled the scene in a red 2016 Dodge Ram pickup truck… https://t.co/VAIyWQnirF
— Suzie S (@suziesuchi) June 27, 2023
His wife, Megan Carey, addressed him during the sentencing. She said she believes in forgiveness, healing, and love, but her husband is beyond forgiveness. She said he has no humanity or empathy in him. During his arrest, the man did try to blame the wife, saying she dared him to shoot while he never checked upon or asked about his wife later on.
In the court, prosecutors played the 20-minute call between 911 dispatchers and Carey. She was comforting her baby, saying, please don’t die. However, by the time police arrived, she had passed away. The mother was taken to the Wilson Hospital for treatment.
According to Law & Crime, the man apologized to his wife before sentencing. The press release from the DA office says the sentence reflects the gravity of what Proefriedt did, and it will ensure he does not pose a threat to an innocent life again.
Man Shoots 17-Day-Old Daughter, Wife with Crossbow Because Baby Was Crying: Police https://t.co/vtgi3q5awx
— Jonathan (@JWeber988) June 30, 2025
His actions cannot be undone with a sentence; the harm he has done is devastating, but the sentence is to offer some solace and pursue justice for the victims affected by this heinous crime. Broome County Sheriff Frederick J. Akshar II appreciated Judge Cawley for giving the maximum sentence to the dad. He also said 25 years does not seem appropriate, but a pine box does.
